Spool holder unit



April ll, 1944.

.sPooL HOLDER UNT Filed June 8^, 1940 w. E. TAYLOR j 2,346,199 y Patented Apr. 11, 1944 SPOGL HOLDER UNE-'E William E. Taylor, Riverside, Conn., assigner to American CanCompany, New York, N.

corporation of New Jersey Application June 8, 1940, Serial No. 339,539

(Cl. 20S-52) 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to a spool assembly unit for adhesive tape or the like and has particular reference to a spool and housing arrangement wherein the spool is free to rotate within the housing to permit easy withdrawal of the tape through. an opening or window formed in the spool housing.

An object of ,the invention is the provision of a spool assembly for tape and the like in which the protecting housing for the tape need not be removed when the tape is to be used vand which by reason of the improved mounting of the tape spool containing the tape, the spool being freely rotatable in the housing, permits easy withdrawal of the tape as required from an opening cut through the housing Wall.

Another object of the invention is lthe provision of such a spool assembly in which the rotatable mounting of .the spool of tape is made without the use of eXtra parts, a simple .spool being so shaped as to be freely rotatable directly on shaped parts of the housing, the .structure also allowing for closing of the opening in .the housing and for holding the free end of the tape in position where it is easily accessible when the housing is to be opened for dispensing of Ithe tape.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the followingdescription. which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,v discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a combination side elevation and 9 sectional view of the spool `holder unit illustrating parts broken back and lshowing portions of .the

unit with a roll of tape in section.;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the unit partly broken back with parts shown in section.;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail' of the upper Acorner of the unit as taken substantially along the line 3--3 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the rotatable connection between the spool and the housing, as viewed along the line i-Jl in Fig. 1.

As an example of the invention the drawing illustrates a cylindrical spool or core member i t on which tape I2 may be wound. Such a spool is confined within a cylindrical housing comprising a body I3 and ends II. The body I3 (Fig. 3) is permanently united to each end Hl in a double seam I5.

Each end Ili is formed A with a central countersunk section Ie which is of smaller diameter than the inner chuck wall I'I of the end. the latterl providing for. the double seam connection I5 in the usual manner.

The outer diameter of the 'countersunli section i6 is spaced inwardly from the body wall I3 of the housing when the parts are in seamedfposition, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. The housing I3 is cut along one side `.to provide an opening or window 2l Athrough which .the tape i2 is withdrawn as used. rlhe side edges of the window 2l are bent back in hemmed edges 22. Similar hemmed edges 22% are formed at the top andthe bottom adjacent the ends I4. This providesv a smooth boundary or surrounding edge for the opening of the window 2l.

Provision is made for closing on this window and completely confining the tape I2 which is wound on the spool II, when the spool holder. unit is used to protect the tape and keep it in proper condition. For this purpose a sliding curved gate 25 is used and this gate is disposed inside of the curved wall of the housing body I3. The upper and lower edges of the gate 2.5 are slidingly held as at 26 (Figf) between .the wall of the housing I3 and the outside wall or" thi.l central countersunk sections It of the two end members ili. This location of the ends of the gate allows for free sliding movement along .the inside wall of the housing and confines thegate to a circular path of travel, the outer surface ofv the gate fitting snugly against the housing wall in all positions.

The gate 25 is moved from .its open position (illustrated in Figs. 1 .and 2.) where the major part of the window 2| is exposed. into a closed position Where the yentire window is covered over. A finger engaging 'rib 21 is formed in the wall of the gate 25 adjacent one vertical edge and allows for easy manual manipulation of the gate to slide it into open or closed position as desired.

The tape .l2 is withdrawn through the open window ZI as'illustrated in Fig. 2. The .window at such time is open and the gate y25 is pushed back behind the housing wall where the major part ofthe opening is exposed. After the desired amount of tape has been withdrawn and the end of the tape has been cut off, the gate is slid into closed position. This confines the tape Within the housing. In its closed position the forward edge of the gate 25, which is hemmed inwardly as illustrated at 28 in Fig. 2, engages against the tape and the end of the tape is thus clamped between the gate edge and that part of the wall of the housing I3 which is adjacent one of the vertical hemmed edges 22. The tape is held in such position as long as the housing is closed and it can be easily grasped when the gate is slid back for the next withdrawal of the tape.

In this withdrawal of the tape it is not necessary to take the housing unit apart as is usual in containers of this sort. The free rotation of the spool Il with the roll of tape, within the spool holder, makes this possible. As to this rotative construction, the spool I I at each end is bent outwardly to provide an annular curved trough 3| (Fig. 4). The central part of each end member I4 is provided with an opening 32 which is surrounded and bounded by an inwardly curled edge 33. This curled edge on each end of the unit ts into its cooperating spool trough 3|. The two ends I4 are of the same construction and this provides a freely rotatable connection between the spool ends and the end members of the holder unit.

Itis thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A spool assembly unit comprising a tubular housing having a window on one side, end members double seamed to said housing, each member being countersunk inside of its double seamed joint to provide a space between it and the wall of said housing, a sliding gate located inside of said housing and having its opposed ends movably confined within the said spaces between the housing and said end members so that the gate may be drawn across said housing window to close the housing, and a cylindrical spool located inside of said housing having its ends rotatably connected with said housing end members to adapt the unit for easy withdrawal of tape wound on said spool where the free end of the tape passes through said window when said sliding gate is in open position, said sliding gate when in closed position lapping inside of an edge of the housing at one side of said window to hold the free end of the tape between withdrawals from the spool unit.

2. A spool assembly unit comprising a tubular housing having a window along one side, end members permanently secured to the ends of said housing, said end members being centrally apertured with the material of the members rolled inwardly to form curved bearing surfaces, and a cylindrical spool located in said housing and having in its ends concave bearing surfaces rotatably mounted on the bearing surfaces of` said end members and extending parallel with said housing window to adapt the unit for easy withdrawal of tape wound on said spool where the free end of the tape passes through said window so that as the tape is withdrawn said spool rotates to supply more of the tape for passage through said housing window.

3. A spool assembly unit comprising a tubular housing having a window.along one side, end members permanently secured to the ends of said housing, each member having a circular opening cut centrally of its wall which is curled inwardly in that region to provide a surrounding open curl edge for the opening and an inwardly directed annular bearing surface, and a cylindrical spool having its ends curled to form annular troughs rotatably connected in said housing in position to extend parallel to said housing window, each open annular curl of said end members having its annular bearing surface extending into a said annular trough of the adjacent end of said spool to provide said rotatable connection to adapt the unit for easy withdrawal of tape wound on said spool where the free end of the tape passes through said window so that as the tape is withdrawn said spool rotates to supply more of the tape for passage through said housing window.

4. A spool assembly unit comprising a cylindrical housing having a window opening therein, end members secured to opposite ends of said housing, each of said end members being provided with a central aperture defined by an inwardly and thence outwardly extending curled edge of said end member to constitute an annular bearing surface, and a tape carrying cylindrical spool disposed within said housing and having its opposite ends extending radially outwardly and thence axially in an annular curved trough rotatably engaging said bearing surface of the housing end members, whereby said spool rotates relative to said housing when the tape carried thereby is drawn through said housing opening.

5. A spool assembly unit comprising a cylindrical housing having a window opening therein, countersunk end members permanently secured to opposite ends of said housing in seamed joints,

the inner portion of the annular countersunk wall of each end member being inwardly offset to provide an annular bearing seat spaced from the inner wall of said housing, each of said end members being provided with a central aperture dened by an inwardly and thence outwardly extending curled edge of said end member to constitute an annular bearing surface, an arcuate gate member movably mounted within said housing, the opposite ends of said gate member being confined between said housing and said end members in sliding engagement with said inwardly offset end member bearing seats so that said gate member may be moved relative to said housing to open and close said housing opening, and a tape carrying cylindrical spool disposed within said housing and having its opposite ends extending radially outwardly and thence axially in an annular curved trough rotatably engaging said bearing surface of the housing end members, whereby said spool rotates relative to said housing when the tape carried thereby is drawn through said housing opening.

WILLIAM E. TAYLOR.. 

